Perdue Resumes Reorganization; GOP Passes House Tax Bill

**Ag Secretary Sonny Perdue is moving ahead with some reorganization moves just a few weeks after hitting the pause button for further discussion.

According to Agri-Pulse, Perdue is directing the Codex Alimentarius program in USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service be moved to the Office of the Undersecretary for Trade and Ag Affairs.

He’s also decided to eliminate GIPSA as a standalone agency and move its functions to a new Fair Trade Practices Area in the Ag Marketing Service.

**Monsanto has amended its lawsuit, originally filed in September, against the Arkansas Plant Board.

Vice president Scott Partridge tells Brownfield Ag News, without a basis in science, the Arkansas Plant Board has decided that ALL dicamba products should be banned as of April 15th.

Partridge says it’s an unfair decision for growers wanting to use Monsanto’s Xtendimax or other dicamba herbicides, but they’re hoping for a quick resolution to the issue.

**Republicans narrowly pushed a tax bill through the House last week that would slash corporate and individual taxes while preserving and even expanding key benefits for farms.

The bill, approved with no Democratic support, would significantly change the rules for partnerships, S corporations and sole proprietorships while lowering tax rates on such businesses.

It also includes a number of provisions sought by farm groups, including an expanded Section 179 expensing allowance and a small-business exemption that allows producers to continue deducting interest on their loans.